


A Story For the Ages

by FallingLikeThis



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: But just a little, Christmas, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Insecurity, M/M, Pining, Romance, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, again not too much, i think, in like a week, it happens fast folks, very little angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-02-28 22:48:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13281501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallingLikeThis/pseuds/FallingLikeThis
Summary: Louis is sweating, his mother’s words still ringing in his ears.We expect you to bring this boy home for Christmas, Louis. We want to meet him.He should have known it was coming. After seven months of pretending to have a boyfriend in order to keep his mum from meddling in his love life again, he should have realized he’d have to actually introduce her to someoneeventually.





	A Story For the Ages

**Author's Note:**

  * For [anchortied](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anchortied/gifts).



> Dear giftee, 
> 
> I hope you like it!!
> 
> Love, gifter

Louis is sweating, his mother’s words still ringing in his ears.

_We expect you to bring this boy home for Christmas, Louis. We want to meet him._

He should have known it was coming. After seven months of pretending to have a boyfriend in order to keep his mum from meddling in his love life _again_ , he should have realized he’d have to actually introduce her to someone eventually.

“Louis?” His mum’s voice on the other end of the phone line breaks through his thoughts.

“I’m sorry, mum. What were you saying?” Louis asks, wincing after the fact because he remembers quite clearly what she was saying.

“Your boyfriend, Louis. You’re bringing him home with you, yes?” There’s something in her tone that brooks no argument. Louis tries anyway. What else is he going to do, pull some poor bloke in off the street?

“Look, mum,” He sighs, peering out his living room window as his mind reaches for an actual argument. There’s a man across the street having issues with his coat being caught in his, apparently locked, car door. Wait. _Issues_. That’s it! “I’d love to bring him with me, but we’re sort of having issues, right now. I don’t know if it would be wise to bring him this time.”

“Aww, sweetheart,” his mum coos at him. “What’s the problem? Maybe I can help.”

_Fuck._ Louis could smack himself. Now he has to come up with an actual issue. His eyes move frantically, searching for something out his window to give him the next part of his lie. A jewelry shop catches his eye and he blurts the first thing he can think of. “He asked me to marry him,” Louis spits out, running his free hand through his hair.  “I mean, I love him and all but I think seven months is too soon to make that kind of commitment. Right?”

“What? Oh my god, Louis!” Louis’ mother squeals in his ear. “He loves you so much he already wants to marry you? You _have_ to bring this boy home.”

Louis squawks at her reply. That is not what he was expecting at all. “Mum, did you not hear me? He asked me to marry him and I _turned him down_. At the very least, that’s gonna be an awkward car ride.”

“Louis, if he loves you enough to propose already, I think it’s safe to say he loves you enough to wait until you’re ready. He sounds like a lovely man, darling. _Please_ , can’t you make an old woman happy and bring him home with you for the holidays?” She asks, undoubtedly aware of the guilt trip she’s inflicting on him.

Louis bites his lip, pacing the floor in front of the window, hating himself a little because he has no idea how to pull this off but he doesn’t know how to tell his mother ‘no’ anymore. Exhaling heavily, he gives up. “Alright mum, I’ll ask.”

“Yay!!” She cheers through the phone, making an involuntary smile take over Louis’ frown.

“I can’t guarantee he’ll say yes, Mum,” he warns, fighting that smile as hard as he can.

“What’s that Louis?” His mum says, the obvious sound of crinkling paper coming across the line. “I think I’m losing you. I can’t hear you!”

“You can’t pull the ‘I’m-losing-my-signal’ routine! I _invented_ that routine.”

“Sorry, dear! I’m losing my signal.” More paper crinkling. “I’ll see you and your boy on the weekend! Love y—”

Louis sighs as the phone call cuts out. His mum just hung up on him.  When he gets home he’ll need to teach her the correct way to fake a lost signal. She can’t just use any old candy wrapper that’s lying around. She has to use the _right one_. Unfortunately, that’s not his biggest issue currently. Because now, he has to go out and find himself an almost fiancé.

Louis sighs to himself, tucking his slightly broken, out-dated phone into his pocket and then scrubbing his face with both hands. What has he gotten himself into?

Lowering his hands, Louis stares out his window again. The world outside had seemed to hold all the answers when he was on the phone, maybe it will give him some clue as to what to do now.

A car pulls up to the kerb to park, a blonde woman in a fancy coat gets out and storms into a building across the street. A young couple walks by holding hands and laughing. Louis takes a moment to smile, envying them, before he directs his attention to a tall man walking a saint bernard.

“Holy shit,” Louis murmurs, as he watches the man strolling leisurely past his window. He’s fucking gorgeous. Louis would take this guy out for real. The sun glints off of something on the guy’s coat and it takes Louis a second to focus on it. Is that—? It’s a rainbow pin.

Louis sprints through his apartment and out the door, hoping against hope that the guy isn’t just _really_ into rainbows.

*

Harry is minding his own business walking his dog when he’s accosted by an out of breath man with a Peaky Blinders haircut. It suits him, Harry thinks as the guy sputters out an apology and bends over to hold his knees while he catches his breath.

“Um,” Harry says, watching the man struggle for breath with wide eyes. His first instinct is to keep walking, maybe even _jog_. At the rate this guy is breathing, Harry doesn’t think he’d be able to keep up and Rascal loves a good run. He’d probably think they were playing a game.

“One second,” the man wheezes, holding up one finger briefly before dropping his hand back to his knee.

Despite his better judgement, Harry decides to give the guy a chance to explain why he appears to have chased Harry down in the street. He’s cute and Harry’s curiosity has never been quite so piqued before.

“Hi,” the guy breathes, finally straightening up even though it sounds like he still hasn’t completely caught his breath. “M’ Louis.”

“Hello, Louis,” Harry answers politely but doesn’t give his own name. He’s curious but he’s not stupid.

“Sorry,” Louis apologizes again, one hand on his waist while the other brushes his hair out of his eyes. His _really blue_ eyes. “I know this must seem really strange, someone just running up to you on the street and all.”

“It _is_ a bit strange,” Harry agrees, glancing at Rascal where he’s nosing at Louis’ shoes.  “Was there something you wanted?”

“Yeah,” Louis exhales, twisting his hands nervously in front of himself, catching the hem of his shirt and toy with that too. He seems very anxious and that makes Harry a little anxious. “It’s just, I saw you walking by my window and I thought _now there’s a guy I’d like to go out with_ and that was followed up with _well, what if I never see him again_? And so, yeah, I chased you down basically to ask you out.” With each word that falls from Louis’ mouth, his cheeks grow just a touch more rosy. Harry thinks it’s kind of adorable. “Which, god, that sounds so creepy, doesn’t it?”

Harry fights a smile as Louis hides his face in his hands. It does sound creepy. It’s actually probably the worst attempt at asking him out that Harry has ever encountered. And yet, he’s oddly endeared by how embarrassed Louis seems by the whole thing.

“Yes, it does,” Harry answers, very carefully _not_ smiling, though he’s sure his dimples are already showing. “Do you ask out people you see on the street often?”

“Er, no. Not really,” Louis mumbles glancing ruefully at Harry’s face and absentmindedly offering Rascal his hand as the dog continues to sniff at him. “I am obviously very out of practice.” He sighs, petting Rascal’s head when the dog deems him worthy and giving him a good scratch behind the ear. “Look, I’ve already cocked this up enough. I’m just gonna go home and pretend none of this ever happened. I’m really sorry for bothering you.”

Harry feels something vaguely unsettling fill his chest as Louis gives him an awkward wave and turns to walk back home.

“Lovely dog you have there, mate,” Louis looks over his shoulder and tosses out before turning back around.

The feeling swells and Harry finally recognizes it. It’s disappointment. He thinks he might actually wanna go on this date that Louis’ suggested. Weird.

“His name is Rascal,” Harry calls back, stopping Louis in his tracks. Excitement floods him when Louis turns around slowly, giving him a questioning look.

“It’s a good name. Does he live up to it?” Louis asks, not taking any steps to close the distance between them.

“Sometimes,” Harry grins, taking that first step because it’s on him now. Louis took a chance chasing him down. It’s Harry’s turn to take one. Rascal pulls at his lead, he’s ready to start moving again but Harry’s going in the wrong direction. “Do you wanna go for a walk with us?”

Louis studies him for a moment, as though checking to see if he’s serious. Eventually he smiles. “I’d love to.” He walks over to join Harry, hands in his pockets.

“Hi,” Harry says with a smile once they’re on even footing. “I’m Harry.”

*

Louis considered he might be crazy, chasing down a guy on the street because he was attractive but Harry isn’t just a pretty face. Apparently, he’s also a freaking angel. Louis has learned that he’s a primary school teacher and a volunteer at an animal shelter where Rascal’s last owners left him when they learned how big he was going to get.

“There’s just more of him to cuddle,” Harry says with a smile and a shrug, reaching down to pet the dog, who preens under the attention. “I don’t see what his size matters.”

“He does look like a nice cuddle buddy,” Louis hums, scratching behind Rascal’s ear again. The dog seems to really like that so he keeps it up, bending down to scratch behind both ears. “He’s just a big puppy, eh?”

“Yeah,” Harry answers watching them both fondly. “He is.”

Louis can feel his gaze on him and he looks up to catch Harry’s eyes. The way he’s looking at Louis, like maybe he’s actually someone worth getting to know, has Louis’ confidence growing. It’s only been twenty minutes or so since they started walking but Louis doesn’t want to risk missing his chance to make sure they get to do this again. He stands, fingertips still petting over Rascal’s head absently when the dog raises it to chase his hands but Louis’ focus is on Harry as he clears his throat.

“So, um, do you think you might want to get coffee with me sometime?” Louis asks, only barely noticing when Rascal loses interest in his sub-par petting, moving away from Louis’ hands.

Harry stumbles forward a couple of steps, yanked closer to Louis by his bored dog pulling on the lead.  Louis catches him, hands on Harry’s hips to keep him steady.

“Woah,” he mutters in the scant space between them. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Harry says, nodding a little as he speaks. “Sorry about that.”

“No, it’s okay,” Louis assures him, noticing that neither of them are in any hurry to back away. “I was _hoping_ I’d get to see Rascal put his name to good use.”

Harry chuckles, running his free hand through his hair. “I told you it happened on occasion.”

“You did, yeah.”

“Yes, by the way,” Harry says, grin growing when Louis gives him a look of confusion. “To coffee,” He clarifies. “I’ll go out with you.”

“Oh.” Louis doesn’t know what to say, he had half expected to still be rejected. “Um, is tomorrow too soon?” He kind of wants to hit himself. He must look so stupid or desperate chasing Harry down like he did and then not giving the man any time to breathe before he’s asking for another date. If _this_ counts as a date? Does it?

“Tomorrow sounds wonderful,” Harry answers with another light laugh. He’s pulled from Louis’ grasp in the next second when Rascal gets impatient again. “I should really get Rascal home but, do you want to give me your number?” He asks, pulling out his phone and dropping it into Louis hands.

“Sure.” Louis types in his number and hands Harry the phone back without sending himself Harry’s number. He doesn’t want to cross any more boundaries than he maybe already has.

“Great,” Harry says, checking Louis’ number and putting his phone back in his pocket. “I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, Louis.”

“Me too, Harry,” Louis says, waving as Harry starts walking off, Rascal leading the way. “Bye, Rascal. Be good!”

He turns away to head home and all of the problems he’d forgotten about in the past half hour with Harry reappear to cling to his shoulders as he gets closer to home, dragging him down and making each step heavier than the last. Louis sighs. He’s such a mess.

A ping from Louis’ pocket has him reaching for his phone and ignoring the cracked screen to check his messages.

_Forgot to give you my number in return. ;)  ~ Harry_

Louis’ chest warms and his eyes crinkle with mirth. What was he thinking about? Something about problems? Once again, he can’t seem to remember them as he floats home on a cloud, a smile etched onto his face.

*

Louis sits at an empty table in the coffee shop and waits. He’s early, ridiculously so, and he can’t help but regret his choice of date spot. His stomach is already a jumble of anxiety and he thinks coffee will just fuel the poison.

Pulling his phone out of his pocket, Louis considers asking to change location, maybe get some ice cream instead or something. He’s staring at Harry’s contact, seconds from typing out a text when Harry sends him one first.

_I may be a few minutes late. Rascal issues. But I’m on my way!_

He could do it, ask for a change of scenery. Harry might think he’s even weirder then. His fingers curl into fists of frustration as Louis struggles with indecision. No. It’s okay. He’ll tough it out.

_Can’t wait_ , Louis replies, having to press on each ‘a’ at least three times to get it to work.

Putting down his phone on the table, his fingers are uncurled but there’s still a residual hum of fretfulness flowing through them. He scratches his chin and thinks he probably should have shaved this morning. God, he feels like he’s doing everything wrong and he hasn’t even done anything yet. He knows deep down why he’s really doubting himself. He’s thought it over and decided that he really has no choice. If he’s going to pull off this fake boyfriend scheme at his mum’s, he’s got to ask Harry. There’s no one else he can possibly pull into this with him. And he actually likes Harry so he’s terrified that Harry’s going to laugh in his face right before he walks back out the door.

Louis fiddles with the ends of the sleeves of the jumper he picked out for his date. It may make his eyes look incredibly blue but he doubts that’s going to help. The longer he sits there, the more doubts he has actually. He groans to himself and buries his face in his hands in anguish. This date is going to be a disaster.

*

Harry shakes his head like he’s trying to shake the words Louis’ just shared with him out of his memory. Or maybe, Louis thinks with a heavy heart, he’s just saying no to this whole ridiculous situation Louis’ invited him into.

“Louis, that’s crazy,” Harry says, gripping his coffee cup tightly.

He isn’t sprinting for the door yet, which Louis is taking as a good sign.

“I know! I know it is,” Louis sighs. “Even I can’t believe the shit I get myself into sometimes, I just couldn’t go on another date with the son of another one of my mum’s church friends. She’s running out of church friends because of me!”

Louis is pretty sure he hears Harry snicker behind his coffee cup and when he glances up from staring at his hands unraveling a string from his jumper, he sees the humor Harry is trying to hide glowing from his eyes. “This is no laughing matter, Harry. I’m already going to hell for lying to my mum for so long and now, she’s going to send me there herself when she finds out.”

Harry doesn’t bother covering his smile this time but Louis would guess it’s more from incredulity than amusement by the way his voice rises in pitch. “And you wanna take me with you for helping you lie to her?”

“I mean, at least then I’d know I was in good company?” Louis shrugs, smiling with all his teeth and hoping Harry finds it cute.

Harry shakes his head again, eyes rolling towards the ceiling like he’s praying for something. Maybe for someone to get this lunatic away from him. Or maybe he’s asking for the willpower not to give in to the adorable, gorgeous man sitting in front of him because he’s about to give in? Louis’ heart thunders with hope.

*

Harry honestly doesn’t know what to do with Louis. He’s so fucking cute but he’s also unlike anyone Harry’s ever met before. And he’s definitely unlike anyone Harry’s ever dated.

To be fair, it’s been a while since Harry’s been on a date, especially with someone his mum hadn’t set him up with. Those dates he’s always known what to expect, someone nice and safe that his mum already approved of. Louis has been a surprise from the very first second Harry met him, and he’s still finding new ways to hold that title. Harry had eventually decided yesterday in the park that Louis was a good surprise. But faking a relationship for seven months and then asking Harry to come home with him for the holidays to play the fake boyfriend? A not-quite-fiancé even. That’s a little strange.

“Wait,” Harry says, letting go of the coffee cup he’s been holding tight to grip the edges of the table as a new thought occurs to him. “Is that really why you chased me down yesterday? Because I look like this fake boyfriend you’ve made up and you need me to play along?”

“Harry, no,” Louis says, looking so affronted that Harry automatically wants to believe him. He’s not sure he does, but he _wants to_. “Asking you out had nothing to do with this, I promise.”

Louis’ hand reaches out to cover Harry’s and something about the way he clings to Harry’s fingers feels so desperate. “I didn’t even want to drag you into this, Harry, because I know you probably think I’m a lunatic now and I hate that I might have lost my chance with you. I just don’t know who else to ask,” Louis explains, his eyes pleading for Harry to believe him.

Either he _really_ wants to convince Harry to be his fake boyfriend, or he actually does like Harry. Maybe it’s insane but Harry hopes it’s the latter.

Harry has no idea what he should do. Maybe he should walk away like Louis seems to expect. All he knows is that Louis excites him in a way he hasn’t felt in a long time. He feels like illicit nights spent with his high school boyfriend, lads nights with Niall and Liam in uni before they got all respectable. Louis feels like youth and fun and endless wonder. It’s not what Harry was looking for in his life but maybe it’s what he needs.

“I’ll do it,” he says. And maybe, from the look on Louis’ face, the hopeful disbelief, Harry is a surprise too.

*

“Are you sure about this?” Louis asks for the millionth time.

“ _Yes_ , Louis,” Harry assures him again as they stow their bags in the boot of Louis’ car. “I’m sure. I mean, I’m a terrible liar and I’m probably going to blow your cover accidentally, but I’m willing to try.”

“You’re—“ Louis fishmouths, standing frozen at the rear of the car while Harry walks around and sinks comfortably into the passenger seat.  “You couldn’t have told me that sooner?” He finally manages to squawk.

Harry is laughing into his hand when Louis climbs into the driver’s seat. “Would it have changed anything?”

Louis sighs because no, it wouldn’t have changed a single thing. He still would have asked Harry out, he still would have ruined his chances of Harry actually liking him by asking Harry to come home with him and play pretend. And, if Harry had told him he didn’t think he could pull it off, Louis would have begged him to come anyway. A small chance of survival is better than no chance.

“Not a thing,” Louis replies, starting the car.

“That’s what I thought,” Harry smirks, leaning forward to mess with Louis’ radio stations.

The past few days they’ve been texting, talking on the phone, getting to know each other. Louis likes this friendly, playful place they’ve gotten to. He’s not sure it’s enough to sell their “relationship” though.

“So, uh,” Louis clears his throat, watching Harry’s fingers turn up the volume dial when he finds a song he likes.  I think maybe it would be a good idea to keep up the act at all times, even when we’re not in front of people. Easier not to slip up that way, right?”

“Oh,” Harry glances at Louis’ face and Louis is pretty sure he’s embarrassingly flushed. “Er, yeah. I guess that makes sense.” Harry says, leaning back in his seat. “So… we should start now, right?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I think that might help,” Louis swallows, not knowing what to expect now that he’s put the suggestion out there.

“Ok,” Harry says and immediately falls silent, turning to stare out the window and basically ignore Louis’ existence.

Louis drives in silence for a good ten minutes, casting Harry curious glances. On minute eleven, Louis can’t take the quiet anymore.

“Um, babe,” he says, just to try it out. He nearly smiles when Harry turns to him, answering to the nickname but the brooding look on Harry’s face ruins his joy. “Why are you so quiet?”

Harry shrugs, biting his bottom lip before he answers. “I guess I’m still a little miffed about you turning down my marriage proposal.” His dimple is showing before he even has the words all out and Louis snorts and pushes his shoulder.

“You dick. I thought something was seriously wrong.”

“I’m sorry,” Harry laughs, dimples deepening in both cheeks and Louis has trouble returning his eyes to the road but he does, for safety.

A few minutes later, when Harry’s done enjoying his little prank, he turns to Louis again. “So, _sweetheart_ , how long is the drive again?”

“About another half an hour, _snookums_ ,” Louis answers with a grin.

“Oh yeah, we’ve got this. We’re _totally_ gonna be believable,” Harry laughs again, nudging Louis’ arm where he has his hand resting on the gear shift.

Louis knows that Harry is making fun of them. The truth is, Harry _is_ a terrible liar and they’re definitely going to go down in flames. But another truth, one that’s slowly becoming apparent to Louis, is that he doesn’t think he’s going to mind all that much because it feels like maybe he hasn’t completely ruined his chances with Harry after all.

*

Harry is nervous when they arrive at Louis’ family’s house. He knows he’s just meeting Louis’ parents as his fake boyfriend but the more time he spends with Louis, the more certain he is that he wants to bear that label for real. He pulls his bag out of the boot of the car, grabbing Louis’ too before the other man has time to join him.

“Oh, thanks,” Louis smiles as Harry hands it to him. “ _Babe_ “, he adds with a wink, throwing the strap of the bag over his shoulder and reaching for Harry’s hand, tangling their fingers.

Harry grins, giving Louis’ hand a squeeze for solidarity. They’re officially in this together. For the next two days, until Harry has to go home to see his own parents, he and Louis are loving boyfriends.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you,” Louis says when they reach the front door. “Tomorrow’s my birthday.”

“Louis!” Harry hisses but doesn’t have time to say more because suddenly the front door is opening and a beautiful woman Harry assumes is Louis’ mum is smiling at them both and gathering Louis into her arms.

“Hello, sweetheart,” she whispers into Louis’ shoulder.

“Hi mum,” Louis answers, grinning wide.

They look for all the world like they haven’t seen each other in ages, though Louis told him that he gets home for a visit at least every other weekend. It makes Harry long for his own mum. He sees her fairly regularly as well but he still misses her hugs and quiet talks on the sofa late into the evenings. He only really gets that on the holidays the older he gets.

“And you must be Harry,” Louis’ mum says, pulling out of Louis’ arms and reaching for Harry next. “Louis hasn’t told us nearly enough about you but we’re gonna change that this weekend, right?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Harry replies, accepting her hug.

“You can call me Jay, love,” she says, giving Harry a light squeeze before letting him go to grasp his shoulders. “We’re so glad you’re here.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Jay,” Harry responds with a sincere grin.

“Ooh. Handsome, polite, _and_ charming. That does it, Louis, you have to keep this one,” she jokes to her son.

“I intend to,” Louis tells her softly, training fond eyes on Harry.

Harry’s heart clenches in his chest as he looks back at Louis. Maybe it’s just part of the act they’re supposed to put on but it doesn’t feel like an act to Harry. It feels like a real declaration of Louis’ intentions. Harry hopes it’s real. He thinks he’d rather like to keep Louis, too.

*

“Come in, darlings. You must be freezing,” Louis mother says ushering them forward only to stop them in the doorway. “Oh look!” She says sounding surprised as she points to the mistletoe hanging from the ceiling just inside the door frame. “How did that get there?”

“Mum,” Louis whines, dropping his bag to the floor and turning to tug Harry’s off his shoulder as well. “This is embarrassing,” he complains, standing in front of his fake boyfriend. Truthfully, he was expecting this. He expects every possible way his mother can think of to embarrass him to come to fruition during this trip.

“You say ‘embarrassing’, I say ‘tradition’,” she answers with a shrug and a smirk.

Louis sighs, pulling Harry closer, “come ‘ere, boyfriend.”

“Do you really want to scandalize your mum, Louis?” Harry asks, leering playfully and making Louis laugh. He loves how easily Harry rolls with every strange, new situation Louis puts him in.

“I mean, she’s literally asking for it,” Louis shrugs, a mirror of his mum from moments before. He wraps a hand around Harry’s neck and tugs him down, their lips meeting softly. Louis only actually means for it to be a gentle peck but once his lips are on Harry’s, it’s not so easy to leave it at that. He darts his tongue out, giving a teasing lick to the seam of Harry’s lips and Harry opens up to him with no hesitation, hands both on Louis’ lower back, pulling him closer.

“Okay!” His mother claps her hands together, making them break apart at the sudden sound. “Aren’t you two cute?” She asks with strained grin just as Louis’ gaggle of siblings come thundering down the stairs behind her.

The next few moments are a jumble of welcomes and hugs and introductions. Lottie has apparently brought a boyfriend home as well and Louis thinks he seems nice from their brief introduction but he’s going to have to have talk with her later about the fact that she’s never bothered to mention him to Louis before.

He thinks he’s supposed to miss it when his step-dad shows up but Louis hears every hushed word when his mother tells Dan that perhaps they overdid it with the mistletoe after all and maybe they should take it down. Wouldn’t want to give the little ones that kind of education so early on, would they? Louis laughs into Harry’s shoulder and whispers that he’ll explain what he’s laughing about later when Harry gives him a cute, confused grin.

*

Harry loves the feeling of warmth and familiarity in Louis’ home. His family has accepted Harry like he’s one of them and that makes Harry’s heart practically glow with love and holiday cheer. He feels like he belongs and not a single second of the evening has felt fake. Not when Louis kissed him under the mistletoe or when Louis was regaling his mum with the story of how they met. Perhaps that’s because he used the actual story of chasing Harry down in the street to ask him out.

“Oh, dear,” Louis’ mum had laughed joyously, patting Harry on the shoulder. “You must have thought my son was completely mad.”

“For a moment, yeah,” Harry had laughed, looking from Jay to Louis, cuddled into his side, and feeling his smile grow. “But ‘cute’ won out over ‘barmy’ in the end.”

Louis had rolled his eyes and cuddled Harry harder, mumbling, “Worked, didn’t it?”

It did. It’s still working. Even as they sit around a good-sized dining table with mismatched chairs pulled from around the house to fit everyone. As they pass food around the table and chat over each other. As Louis puts his hand on Harry’s thigh every time he’s answering a question someone asks about their relationship and when Harry lazily pushes one ankle between Louis’ so that some part of them is always tangled together. Through it all, Harry is falling in love. He’s falling for Louis’ laugh and the way his eyes crinkle with happiness. He’s falling for his touch and the way he gives it so freely. He’s falling for Louis’ family and the way every time someone tries to tell him an embarrassing story and Louis makes a laughter-filled threat to stop them, someone he’s got a little less dirt on picks up the tale.

If Harry had thought Louis was a lone, wonderful surprise he’d somehow had the luck to find, he’s come to realize there’s a whole world of them right here under this roof. Their first day here is half over and Harry wants more time to discover as many as he can.

“You alright, babe?” Louis asks quietly. Too quiet for anyone else to hear. It’s so real, the concern in his eyes and the care in his tone. It’s real.

“Yeah. Just got lost in my thoughts for a minute,” Harry answers with a smile, reaching for Louis’ hand under the table and holding it in his own. It’s not for show. It’s for them. Because this is happening. Harry can feel it with every breath of his lungs, every beat of his heart.

Louis looks down at their hands joined between them and then back up to Harry’s face. “Good,” He says, adjusting his hand in Harry’s grip. Holding him tighter.

Harry’s falling and he doesn’t mind a single bit.

*

“You were wonderful tonight,” Louis tells Harry the second they’re closed into Louis childhood bedroom. “I’d never know you’re a terrible liar from the performance you put on out there.”

Harry crowd’s Louis up against the door of his room, noticing the hitch in Louis’ breath when he does. “That’s probably because I wasn’t lying.”

Louis arches an eyebrow at him.  “What about when my sister rudely asked during desert why you stayed with a slob like me who didn’t even have the decency to marry you?”

“Do you remember my answer?” Harry asks, cupping Louis’ cheek in one hand, rubbing his thumb softly over Louis’ stubbled jaw.

Louis swallows, looking into Harry’s eyes. There’s something there, quiet and hopeful, as he answers. “You said ‘when you know it’s real, you don’t let it go.’”

“Not a lie,” Harry whispers, slowly closing in on Louis’ mouth. “Tell me it wasn’t a lie, Louis. Tell me what I’m feeling isn’t a lie.”

Louis lets out a deep breath and gives Harry what he’s begging for. “It’s real,” he says, confirming Harry’s belief in them. “It’s all real, Harry,” he repeats once more before Harry captures his lips in a needy kiss.

They snog against the door like teenagers, only stopping to move to the bed where it’s more comfortable. Harry lays down on Louis’ old bed and pulls Louis down on top of him, tangling his fingers in Louis’ hair as their lips meet again. He kisses Louis with desperation and desire and gratitude, licking into his mouth like he’s the greatest treasure Harry will every find. Harry supposes he probably is.

They’ve just started grinding against each other, swallowing one another’s moans of pleasure when there’s an abrupt knock at the door that breaks them apart.

“Just a reminder,” Lottie shouts through the door, “no sex in the house full of children!”

Louis groans into Harry’s neck and Harry chuckles. It’s definitely a disappointment but Louis looks cute sporting a disgruntled pout on his face.

“Rude!” He shouts at his sister.

To which she replies, “If I’m not getting any, neither are you!”

That makes Louis groan again and cover his ears. “Don’t give me those mental pictures, Lottie. I will lock your boyfriend outside for the night.”

“Good luck with that, little one,” she yells.

Louis drops his face into Harry’s chest and starts mumbling, making Harry laugh because it tickles a bit. “What was that, Louis? I can’t hear you when you’ve got my shirt in your mouth.”

“I said,” Louis says lifting his face, “that I get no respect around here.”

“Aww, babe,” Harry coos. “ _I_ respect you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Louis sulks, resting his head back on Harry’s chest, ear pressed to his heart. “It’s my birthday tomorrow and this is the treatment I get.”

“Yeah, I wish you’d told me that sooner,” Harry admits, running his fingers through Louis’ hair as they lay there.

“I know,” Louis visibly grimaces. “I meant to. I just forgot until we were here.”

“I didn’t get you a gift,” Harry muses. “I’m gonna look like the worst boyfriend ever.”

Louis snorts. “My mum already loves you. You could give me mouldy cheese and she would still think you were the best.”

“I think I can do better than that,” Harry promises, suddenly noticing how heavy his eyelids feel now that he and Louis aren’t caught up in the heat of the moment.

“Harry, you don’t have to get me anything at all,” Louis replies, using his fingertips to draw invisible pictures on Harry’s chest through his shirt. “You’re here. That’s gift enough.”

“I’ll think of something,” Harry slurs sleepily.

As he drifts off, he thinks he feels one last kiss pressed to his lips, but maybe he’s dreaming already.

*

Harry isn’t in bed with him when Louis wakes up in the morning. It’s just the tiniest bit disheartening. Okay, it’s a lot disheartening. It’s his birthday and he didn’t even get to wake up in his boyfriend’s arms. At least, he _thinks_ Harry is his boyfriend now.

Sighing, Louis gets up and walks to the loo, toiletry bag in hand. He takes a piss and hops in the shower, hoping to get at the hot water before it’s all used up. He brushes his teeth when he gets out, considers shaving but decides he looks just as good with a little more scruff on his cheeks. Then, he heads downstairs.

He’s expecting the way his family cheers for him like he’s a movie star arriving to walk the red carpet. He’s expecting the rush of hugs and love and comments about how old he’s getting. He’s expecting to be pushed down into a seat at the head of the dining table and the gift his parents push into his hands as soon as he’s seated. He’s even expecting the socks his mum wraps his actual gift in and the comment that he ‘can never have enough socks’ she’s been making since those few measly years he went without wearing socks when he was a teenager (and that she’ll never let him forget).

He’s not expecting the new cell phone he’s been needing but didn’t really have the money to get for himself because he’s pretty sure he never told his mum just how bad it was.

“How did you know?” He asks, turning the pristine Android phone over in his hands.

“I’ve seen you carrying that old battered thing around for years, Louis. But Harry confirmed it for me when I cornered him in the kitchen last night,” Jay tells him, looking somewhere behind him.

Louis isn’t expecting Harry to lean over his shoulder and place a plate of pancakes with a single candle sticking out in front of him.

He’s not expecting the “Good Morning,” Harry gives him to be so deep from sleep or the minty fresh kiss he follows it up with.

“Make a wish, baby,” Harry tells him, gesturing to the candle.

Louis closes his eyes and thinks, preparing to make his wish. He breathes in deeply and then stops, squinting open an eye to ask, “Is this my cake this year?”

“No,” Harry laughs. “That’s baking in the oven. I just know how impatient you typically are. Figured you might like to make your wish as soon as possible.”

“You know me so well,” Louis grins, and then makes his wish.

When he opens his eyes, there’s a small box on the table in front of him, beautifully wrapped in deep red paper with a gold ribbon wrapped around it.

Everyone seems breathless, including Louis. Because Louis definitely wasn’t expecting this.

Harry’s cheeks are the faintest bit rosy when Louis turns to him where he’s taken the empty seat next to him.

“Harry?”

“Yes, Louis?”

“You’re not gonna propose again, are you?”

“Louis!” Louis’ mother cries in outrage.

Harry, beautiful being that he is, just laughs. “Just open the damn box, Louis.”

“Alright, alright,” Louis grumbles playfully, fairly certain Harry hasn’t come up with some ridiculous plan to actually propose to Louis in front of his parents for the sake of their ruse. He picks up the box, pulling off the ribbon, tearing through the paper, and opening the lid.

It is a ring. One of Harry’s rings, a rose that Louis had taken to rubbing his thumb over when they had held hands. Louis knows that there’s no way Harry’ rings will fit his fingers, and apparently Harry knows it too because this one is on a delicate-looking silver chain.

“Your mum gave me the chain,” Harry explains, taking the necklace from Louis’ hands and opening the clasp. “It’s not a proposal, Louis. But it is a promise. A promise that as long as this is real, I’ll keep holding on to it.”

It’s perfect. Everything about the moment is absolutely perfect. Harry’s words are perfect to sell their love story to Louis’ parents, an easy way to keep it going long after their weekend here is over. But they’re also a secret code with real meaning, meant just for Louis.

Louis has to clear his throat before he can speak. “Put it on me?” He asks Harry, following the movement of those waiting hands at they complete their task, clasping the chain around Louis’ neck. He raises a hand to the ring, feeling its cool silver against his fingertips.

“Thank you, Harry,” Louis whispers, pulling Harry into a long hug.

*

Louis still smiling that evening as he wishes Harry a safe drive and a good time at his parents’ house. He’s going to miss him terribly after spending two full days together but he’s content in the knowledge that they’ll see each other again when they both go home. He hugs Harry goodbye at the door and gives him a goodbye kiss. And then another one. And…okay, one more for the road.

“No scandalizing the children!” Fizzy says, knocking into Louis as she passes. “I’m watching you, birthday boy.” She seems to be working with Lottie to keep Louis from getting any more action than she is.

“Why are sisters so annoying?” Louis groans into his boyfriend’s shoulder.

“You could always come home with me,” Harry suggests playfully. “I only have one annoying sister. And she’s actually pretty great sometimes. She drove Rascal to my parent’s house so we could do this.”

“Yeah, mine are pretty nice too when they aren’t _bitter about not getting any, Lottie!”_ Louis says, shouting the last bit and groaning again when Ernest walks up to him and asks “Not getting any what?”

“Presents, Ernie,” Louis tells his little brother earnestly. “She’s on the naughty list. She’s not getting any presents.”

Ernest gasps and goes running off to inform Lottie that she’s on the naughty list just in case she didn’t know.

Louis cackles when Lottie yells after him and when he turns back to Harry, he finds his boyfriend watching him with adoration.

“What?” Louis asks, unsure what he’s done to deserve such a look.

“I’ve never felt more excited for my future than I do now that I know you have a place in it,” Harry tells him.

“Shit, Harry. You can’t say shit like that!” Louis exclaims. “Didn’t you just hear? I’m not allowed to scandalize the children by ravishing you!”

Harry laughs, stealing one more kiss. “I’ll see you when we’re both back home?”

“Absolutely,” Louis promises, watching Harry walk out the door with a heavy heart. He moves to the window to watch as Harry hands his bag to his cab driver to toss in the boot and climbs in the back seat.

“You could go, you know,” Jay says, resting her chin on Louis’ shoulder. “He _is_ your almost fiancé. I bet his parents are dying to meet you.”

Louis winces, feeling guilty now as he watches Harry’s cab drive away into the night. It never actually felt like a lie when Harry was with him because they really only told anyone true stories that had happened in the week they’d known each other. Maybe that was the difference. Louis kicked this whole thing off with a mountain of lies, but Harry never let it actually be one when he was there.

“Mum, I have a confession,” Louis tells the window, not daring to look his mum in the face as he confesses his sins. “I haven’t had a boyfriend for the past seven months, I just told you that so that I wouldn’t have to hurt your feelings by asking you to stop setting me up. None of those guys were ever my type and every single date was a disaster. I got sick of feeling like a loser.”

“And Harry?” Louis’ mother asks and he can determine nothing from here tone of voice but he’s still too scared to turn around.

“Actually, everything you learned about Harry this weekend is true. He never lied to you. That was all me. We met a week ago and he _is_ my boyfriend now but he was never going to be your son-in-law.” Louis finally turns around and is surprised to find his mother looking at him thoughtfully. She doesn’t appear angry.

“Oh, Lou,” She sighs sadly, wrapping him up in a warm, motherly hug. “I’m so sorry you felt you couldn’t tell me that I was butting in too much. You shouldn’t have lied—”

“I know, I’m sorry,” Louis cuts her off.

“You shouldn’t have lied,” she starts again, her stern tone of voice a warning to not interrupt again. “But I understand why you did. And as for Harry not being my future-son-in-law,” she adds with a twinkle in her eye when she pulls back. “I wouldn’t be too sure about that.”

“What do you mean?” Louis asks, earning a pat on the head.

“He came into a house full of strangers to do you a favor a convince us all that you had someone to love. And he was pretty convincing, Louis. That boy is crazy about you.”

“I’m pretty crazy about him,” Louis answers with a smile.

“Then, maybe you should reconsider meeting his parents?” Louis’ mum tells him with a wink. “And, you know, it would mean more time spend with your boy.”

“Can I?” Louis asks, suddenly terribly excited by the idea.

“Your gifts can wait until your next visit,” She answers with a shrug.

“Thank you!” Louis says, hugging her tightly before rushing off to find his new phone and text Harry.

_Is the offer still open to come home with you?_

He waits impatiently for all of three seconds for an answer.

_On my way back :x ~Harry_

Louis sends back a kiss and then rushes to pack his bag. He wishes he’d packed better clothes. After all, he has some fake future-in-laws parents to impress. But with Harry by his side, Louis is pretty sure he’ll be okay.

*

This is Louis’ favorite story to tell. Their origin story, he calls it. He tells it at their wedding and his mum raises her glass because she called it that Harry was always going to be her son-in-law. He tells it at the baby shower their friends throw them when they adopt their first child. And eventually, he tells it to their children so that they know not to grow up like their Papa. Daddy is a pretty good role model to aspire to though.

(Daddy tells it the other way around. Of course, Papa is his favorite person in the universe, so Daddy is pretty biased.)

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my beautiful beta! 
> 
> Please be kind. Choose Love! And kudos. Choose Kudos! Commenting is also an option I recommend. Thank you!
> 
> Here is a [fic post](http://suddenclarityharry.tumblr.com/post/170928397497/a-story-for-the-ages-7706-words-by) to reblog if you enjoyed it!


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